Everything about Prosopis Velutina totally explained
Velvet Mesquite (
Prosopis veluntina) is a small to medium sized perennial tree. It is a
legume adapted to a dry, desert climate. Though considered to be a
noxious weed in states outside its natural range, it plays a vital role in the ecology of the
Sonoran Desert.
Range
The Velvet Mesquite is native to the
Sonoran,
Mojave, and
Chihuahuan Deserts. It grows at elevations below 4,000 to 5,000 feet in desert grasslands and near
washes. The main distribution is in central and southern Arizona and in adjacent Mexico. Near waterways mesquites can form deciduous woodlands called
bosques.
Characteristics
The velvet mesquite can grow to 30-50 feet or higher. It grows larger in areas with ample water, smaller in open, dry grasslands. The youngest branches may be green and
photosynthetic. Young bark is reddish-brown and smooth. As it matures, it becomes a dark, dusty gray or brown and takes on a shredded texture. Yellow thorns up to one inch long appear on the young branches. The leaves are about three to six inches long, fine, and
bipinnately compound. They fold closed at night. The branches are "undisciplined" and often gnarled. The
taproot sinks deep into the earth, far deeper than that height of the tree, taking advantage of water stores unaccessible to most plants. Roots extend to about fifty feet, but depths as much as 175 feet have been recorded.
Place in the ecosystem
The mesquite contributes greatly to the desert ecosystem.
Coyotes,
ground squirrels,
javelinas,
mule and
white-tail deer, and
jack rabbits all eat mesquite pods. Livestock also eat mesquite pods when available On the other hand, mesquite
bosques cover only a small fraction of the area they covered before human settlement. Agriculture, fuelwood cutting, housing developments, and the lowering of the water table have all contributed to the loss of native mesquite stands
.
Velvet mesquite is also a common choice for residential and commercial
xeriscaping in
Tucson and
Phoenix, cities which are inside the Velvet Mesquite's natural range. An established mesquite tree needs little or no watering, and is an attractive ornamental.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Prosopis Velutina'.
|
External Link Exchanges
Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:
<a href="http://prosopis_velutina.totallyexplained.com">Prosopis velutina Totally Explained</a>
Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned. |
